A Thing of the Past
by Dolphin02
Summary: "Daddy?" Six year old Dawn tugged on her baggy pajamas, hugging her stuffed Piplup tightly. "Where are we going?" "Huh?" He kicked Dawn away and glared at her. "You're not going anywhere, brat! I'm leaving, and you're not going to do anything!"


**AN: I was literally listening and crying to Kelly Clarkson's Piece by Piece, when I decided to write this.**

 **My father is amazing, and kind, and gentle, and loving...and whenever I hear this, I think of how grateful that my dad is an amazing person, willing to stick through thick and thin with his family.**

 **I'm sorry for anyone who's father left them. Just know, that it's their loss. They lost their chance to get to know an amazing person, and that you are stronger then them. Because...because it's not fair, and no child should have to grow up with their dad. Dad's are supposed to love their kids, take care of them, and show them how to care and love.**

 **Mothers are amazing, but fathers serve a different role in a child's life, and I'm sorry...so sorry if this happened to anyone.**

 **If your father died, or is gone for some other unfathomable reason, I'm also sorry. :( I'm sorry for everything that has happened...and I mourn your loss.**

 **I would highly suggest you listening to it...as it is in the fic, and it really helps you understand the background of this fic.**

 **And just a note, this is an AU from all of my other AU's. It's similar, but not quite the same.**

* * *

"We did it."

Dawn laughed incredulously, her eyes filled with tears. "We did it."

"Yeah we did," Paul said in a soft voice, his eyes so very proud. "Hello Spence."

"We made her, we _made_ her Paul..." Dawn's breathless voice was filled with awe, and her eyes were wide with disbelief.

Paul blinked extremely fast, and gave Dawn a sloppy grin. "I know. I can't believe it."

Dawn reached up with her spare arm and pulled Paul down by the neck, and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. "I love you."

"I love you Dawn," Paul said softly, before turning to look at the sleeping Spencer. "And I love you too."

Spencer, almost as if she heard her father, blinked awake. Her dark gray eyes swirled. Paul could've sworn that they gleamed with intelligence and mischievousness already.

She gave him a sleepy smile, before she burst into tears, little arms waving.

"I should feed her," Dawn sighed with a light, tired grin. "I can't believe it."

"I can't either," Paul repeated, tugging on the ends of his violet hair. "I'll leave you to it?"

Dawn smiled at him teasingly. "Unless you want to stay?"

Paul flushed and glared at Dawn. "Not in front of the child!"

The bluenette rolled her eyes and laughed quietly, which seemed to soothe Spencer. "You dummy. She's not going to remember any of this. At all."

"Well excuse me for wanting to keep our daughter's chastity in tact before her second day in the world!" Paul protested. But his eyes twinkled with amusement as he dropped another kiss on her forehead.

"You're fine," Dawn said, waving him toward the door.

He grunted slightly before nodding. "Alright, alright."

"You don't usually talk so much, but I guess since it's our first baby's, first day in the world it's good right?" Dawn joked.

"Yeah," Paul said with a serious face once more. "I'm really happy. And really excited. I only talk around family and friends. Bam. Words."

Dawn stuck out her tongue as she pointed towards the door. "Whatever. Out mister! Out!"

All she saw was purple hair as he strode out the door, probably eager to tell their relatives and friends.

"Hey baby girl," Dawn whispered to Spencer, who stared at her with big, solemn eyes. "Welcome to the world. Mommy loves you already."

* * *

Dawn smiled at Emmeryn's toothless smile, her heart full and happy. A small tuft of purple-hair bobbed as Emm gurgled.

"She's beautiful."

Soft lips pressed against Dawn's forehead. She leaned into it, reveling in the pure affection in the simple gesture.

"She is," Dawn murmured, tired eyes still taking in the baby's face.

"Mommy, can I see her?"

Spencer tugged on her mother's hospital gown, her dark gray eyes wide with curiosity.

"Of course Spence, just let your Daddy hold baby Emm, okay?" Dawn reached down to brush some stray blue hair away from Spencer's bright face.

"Okay!" Spencer grinned as her baby sister came into view.

"Here." Dawn handed Emmeryn over to Paul gingerly, almost cautiously. Even though it was only to her husband.

Dawn ducked her head in embarrassment as she stared at him under her lashes.

Paul shot her a disapproving look, but Dawn only grinned cheekily, "Mother instincts."

He snorted, but lowered the baby so little Spencer could see.

"Emm! Baby Emm!" She reached out, almost with fear.

"You can touch her," Paul coaxed, eyes alight with joy.

"Hey, baby Emm," Spencer whispered softly as she rested her tiny hand on Emm's cheek. "I love you already!"

Both parents smiled at that, the obvious display of affection warming their hearts.

"This reminds me...of my childhood," Dawn said wistfully. "Before he left."

"We did it again darling." Paul smoothed back Dawn's hair and gave her a meaningful look.

Dawn nodded slowly, her smile slowly slipping into a tight frown. "I know."

"We're better than him. We can do this. Together," Paul said earnestly, crouching down so Spencer could have a better look at Emm, and so that he could stare Dawn in the eye. "You're stronger than him. Don't let him bring you down. We have _two_ beautiful girls. And I'm not leaving them. I love you, and I love them. I'm not leaving. Alright?"

Dawn smiled weakly and her eyes watered a little as Paul stood up and wrapped an arm around Dawn. "It'll be okay."

"Hey!" Spencer shouted indignantly, her gray eyes squinted shut in pretend anger. "I wasn't done saying hi to baby Emm yet!"

Dawn giggled lightly, and ruffled her daughter's hair. "Well baby girl, Mommy's gotta feed your little sister. Say what, why don't you and Daddy go and get some ice cream from the cafeteria?"

"Yes!" Spencer yelled triumphantly as she ran out of the room on her tiny legs. "ICE CREAM!"

Paul chuckled and chased after her and shot on last lazy smirk over his shoulder and Dawn nodded back before he slipped out of the room.

They would all be okay anyways.

* * *

 _"Daddy?"_

 _Six year old Dawn tugged on her baggy pajamas, hugging her stuffed Piplup tightly. "Where are we going?"_

 _"Huh?"_

 _A tall man with unkempt blue hair stared down at the little girl. "What?"_

 _"Come on sweetie, we have to g-" A busty, red-head sauntered through the doorway, and froze when she saw the little girl who had stumbled forward to wrap herself around her dad's legs._

 _"Where are we going?" Big, bleary, blue orbs stared up at him with confusion and a slight bit of trepidation._

 _For a second, Ryan Berlitz felt an inkling of shame for what he had done._

 _His wife was beautiful, and kind. She was a Top Coordinator, and her money had supported them for a long time. She had started to work when they started to run low on money, and he had sat around, drinking his worries away._

 _He never worked, and instead, bought more booze to drink. He vaguely remembered yelling at Johanna, and the urge to hit her._

 _He had paid no attention to little Dawn, and when he met Brittany, he started sneaking out of the house to see her._

 _He had been unfaithful to his vows. He wasted money, and he was a horrible influence on Dawn._

 _And all of the doubt, shame, and self-hatred rushed through him._

 _But it was too late._

 _He was already too far gone._

 _Some little voice screamed at him. Screamed that it was never too late. That he could still tell Brittany that it was all a ruse and that he was going to stay and make things right. That he wanted nothing to do with her, and to apologize to Johanna, and quit drinking._

 _But the fear from being found out rushed through him and he kicked Dawn away and glared at her. "You're not going anywhere, brat! I'm leaving, and you're not going to do anything!"_

 _Dawn's lower lip trembled as a grumbling Ryan ran out of the house, still sitting flat on her bottom._

 _A few seconds later, little Dawn burst into tears, and a few minutes later, a sleepy Johanna walked downstairs to Dawn sobbing, and the house a mess._

 _Immediately, she was wide awake, and when she came out onto the porch...she saw what every wife dreads._

 _Her husband packing their car._

 _"Ryan? What's going on?" Johanna called, her eyebrows furrowed._

 _Brittany sauntered out from behind the car with a smirk._

 _Johanna felt her heart drop to her feet as Dawn came out after her, burying her tear-stained face into Johanna's leg._

Oh no.

* * *

 _"Mommy, WHY is he leaving?" Dawn asked with quivering lips, and watering eyes._

 _"Dawn sweetie, your daddy doesn't love Mommy anymore, and he found someone else. We're no longer married. He's still your daddy...but he's not my husband anymore, okay? He's leaving, because he's leaving ME. Not you sweetheart, never you. Okay?" Johanna said softly, kneeling in front of the seven-year old._

 _Dawn peered over her mother's shoulder at her father's retreating back, and felt more dread wash through her._

 _His hand was clasped in the red-head's, and the luggage behind them made a quiet whirling noise._

 _The back of his shirt was red, a slightly different color from the woman's hair, and there were large blue letters on the back._

 ** _Hoenn, the place of paradise_**

 _That's where he was going. He was leaving Dawn for that place._

 _He didn't say goodbye._

 _He didn't stop or turn around._

 _He didn't even wave._

 _Dawn's started shaking as she tried to contain her silent sobs. Fat tears rolling down her tiny face._

 _Maybe he just forgot. Maybe if Dawn just reminded him that she was still here..._

 _"Daddy! Bye-bye!" Dawn shouted, passerby people turning to stare at the little bluenette with sad eyes._

 _His slouched back stopped for a split second, and Dawn could almost see his indecision in his body...before he continued walking down, and down, and down...and turned the corner...and..._

 _And he was gone._

 _Dawn felt a fresh wave of loud, painful sobs rack her body as her mother scooped her up, Johanna's own face wet with tears._

 _"Why Mommy why? Why did Daddy have to leave with that mean lady? Why?!" Dawn shrieked, pounding her tiny fists on Johanna's chest, fumbling to escape, to follow her father._

 _Johanna felt a painful sadness take over her as she dragged her feet towards the airport doors._

 _She was just a child._

 _Dawn didn't understand that her father was an alchoholic, and found a slag to live his life with. Away from them._

 _Away from them forever._

 _He never gave them contact information._

 _He didn't even care about Dawn enough to leave a phone number._

 _Dawn, would more than likely never see her father again._

 _And with that realization, Johanna started sobbing and started yelling into Dawn's back as much as Dawn was screaming into her chest._

 _"I don't know! I don't know! I don't know why he left us, baby girl, I don't know any of this anymore, I don't..." Her voice broke as she finally shoved open the doors of the airport, escaping into scorching hot summer air. "I...don't know."_

 _Dawn whimpered and cried on her chest, and eventually drifted off to sleep as Johanna rode the subway to where the car was parked, and trudged her way back home._

 _Home._

 _Family._

 _What did that even mean anymore?_

* * *

 _Dawn took a deep breath and crossed her fingers tightly._

 _She had just finished her first Pokemon journey through Sinnoh, with Ash...when her mom came to her with a lead on where her father may have been._

 _Dawn smoothed back her hair and straightened out her clothes, trying to look good for her long-lost father._

 _The bluenette was absolutely baking in the tropical Hoenn air, wishing she was back in Sinnoh with all her heart._

 _She took another deep breath before finally pushing the doorbell._

 _The ringing sound echoed through the cold, foreboding house and Dawn tapped her foot with nervousness._

 _A few seconds later, footsteps sounded and Dawn held her breath in anticipation._

 _The busty, red-head from years before appeared with her eyes smudged with eyeliner._

 _She glared at Dawn with sharp eyes. "Who the hell are you?"_

 _Dawn flushed at the crude words and shrunk back. "Um, I'm Dawn Berlitz, and I'm looking for my father."_

 _"Your father?" the woman sneered. "Ryan honey! Your little brat came to find you!"_

 _"What?!"_

 _Lumbering footsteps filled the hallway as a large man walked out, clutching a bottle of beer._

 _He reeked of alcohol and his bloodshot eyes, sallow skin, and unruly appearance only solidified Dawn's theory._

 _Her father was still a drunkard._

 _Dawn took a step back when he gave her a snarl with the full force of drunk, two hundred pound man. "What do you want?"_

 _"I wanted to see my father," Dawn said meekly, taking another step back. The pure rage and anger that spread across his face when he saw her...Dawn shuddered a little._

 _"Well I don't want to see you. Now get out. And don't even think of coming back," Ryan growled drunkenly, annoyance clear in his voice, and slammed the door shut in Dawn's face._

 _Dawn stood there and trembled for a few minutes before she was able to force her feet to move._

 _It was truly over then. Her father didn't want anything to do with her._

 _Ever._

* * *

"You're an asshole! Get out of my house!" Dawn shrieked, her eyes filled with tears. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! This is MY house! MY life! MY husband, the father of MY children! And I don't want you part of any of it! GET OUT!"

Ryan Berlitz swayed drunkenly as he narrowed his bloodshot eyes at his daughter.

"Giii...Giiive meee...the moooonneeey. And I'lll leeaave," he slurred stumbling around to wrap his torn hands around the neck of a porcelain lamp sitting on the table innocently.

"No. My wife asked you to leave, I would highly advise it," Paul said coolly, walking in front of Dawn who was standing with Spencer and Emmeryn around her legs.

"Whoo...the fuuuck...are you?" Ryan asked, glaring at Paul now.

"I'm Paul Shinji, and I'm the husband of your daughter, your son in law, and the father of your grandchildren. Who you are scaring right now. I would suggest you leave. NOW." Paul's fists were clenched in fists and he looked ready to sock Ryan across the face.

Emmeryn whimpered lowly, burying her face into Dawn's leg. Spencer trembled, but stared at her grandfather with fierce eyes.

"Leave Mommy alone!"

"Whoo 'r you?" Ryan said lecherously, looming over the tiny girl.

"I'm Spencer and I won't let you hurt my mom!" Spencer shouted defiantly.

"Shh Spence, it's okay," Dawn shushed, pushing Spencer further behind her as Ryan blinked angrily at her.

"So you little biiitch, decide to staart your own family, eh? Well guess what? Yoouur ooold man is still here! Uh-huh, don't thiiink a bitch gets to foooorget her father! Now this jaaackass needs to mooove, because I need to talk to my slutty, whoooore of a dauuuughter. Whaat'd you doo Dawn? Beeg him to fuck you with your dirty liittle moouth?" Ryan sneered.

"NOW GIVE MEEE THE MOOONEY! NOW!"

Dawn shook with fear, but at the sight of her scared children, she felt hot anger rush through her.

"No. You get out of my house. This is my house. You are not my father. You will never be my father. Father's love their daughter. Father's are their daughter's role models, and they care for them. You were none of those thing to me. You are not my father. Do not talk to me like that. I am Dawn Shinji, Top Coordinator, and now a song-writer. This is my money, and my life. How dare you treat me like trash and tell me you want nothing to do with me, and come to me, trying to force me to give you my money? In my house?

"No. You don't get to do that. You leave right now, or you'll regret this. Like they say, you should never mess with a mother protecting her children." Dawn's chest heaved after her speech, so intent on getting her point across that she didn't notice when Ryan grunted before stumbling forwards and trying to smash Dawn's head with the lamp he was clutching.

But Paul noticed. And Paul tackled the man, shoving him down and prying the lamp out of his hands.

It shattered on the floor with a loud clang.

Ryan struggled and tried to unseat Paul, bucking up and swinging his fists wildly.

Paul accidentally put his hand on top of the shattered clay, cutting his hand open, and while he was distracted, Ryan managed to get a sloppy right hook into Paul nose, leaving his face gushing with blood.

"Paul!" Dawn cried, fearing for her husband.

Paul only groaned, before his eyes darkened even more, and proceeded to pound Ryan Berlitz into the ground.

When Ryan blacked out from the beating, Dawn scrambled forwards to pull Paul off of him, inspecting Paul's damaged hands.

"Are you okay?" Dawn whispered worriedly, wiping away the blood and mangled flesh, sighing softly when she saw that there were only a few bad cuts.

"Mommy?" Spencer asked in a small voice.

"Yes sweetie?" Dawn replied, turning to face her daughter.

"Are you and Daddy okay?" Spencer pulled Emmeryn forwards, who ducked her head and tried to turn away from the bloody man on the floor.

"Yes we are, are you and Emm?" Paul answered.

Spencer looked at him with confusion. "Why would me and Emm be not okay?"

Dawn and Paul looked at each other before laughing softly.

"Oh Spence," Paul muttered. He was tempted to hug her, but didn't want to get her bloody.

"Come on Paul, I'll call 911 while you wash that blood off. We might have to go get stitches," Dawn ordered gently, guiding him towards the bathroom. "Spence, will you go with him?"

Spencer nodded and bounded after her injured father, while Dawn gathered the crying Emmeryn into her arms.

"Are you okay sweetheart?"

"Mama, Mama," Emmeryn repeated softly, burrowing into Dawn's sweater.

Dawn stopped walking with a start. "Emm, did you just call me Mama?"

Emmeryn didn't answer, still chanting 'Mama' under her breath.

Two year old Emmeryn could stand, and barely walk, but most of her words were still gibberish.

"Mama...okay."

Dawn felt tears drip down her eyes as she clutched her daughter close with her bloody hands. "Yes. Mama's okay."

The phone vibrated as the police's voice filled the room. "Hello, what is your emergency?"

Dawn smiled again at her Emm before explaining the situation.

"Okay, um there is a bloodied man lying on my living room floor, my husband beat him after he tried to hit me with a lamp. Yes...uh-huh. He's my father...alcoholic history..."

* * *

The crowd screamed and stomped as Paul turned to the side of the stage, blinking from the flashing strobe lights. "Let's welcome my wife and children to the stage shall we? Ladies and gentlemen, Dawn Shinji, the love of my life!"

The crowd roared even louder as Dawn stepped onto the stage with a bubbly expression, chin tucked and hands clasped behind her back. She waved tentatively, and grinned at the huge response.

Paul pressed a quick kiss on her lips before smiling at the stands again.

"And my wonderful girls, Spencer and Emmeryn Shinji!"

'Aw's ran through the large auditorium as Spencer trotted onto the stage, leading toddler Emmeryn by the hand.

"Mommy, they're all staring at me," Spencer whispered to Dawn when she got to the center of the stage. But her microphone announced it to the entire room and more people cooed at the seven-year old's adorableness.

"So my wife, who you all know writes my songs," Paul started, turning to Dawn, "Has a new single for you guys, that she wrote while I was getting stitches in the ER."

He laughed a little sheepishly and glanced side-ways at his wife.

The crowd exploded in applause and Dawn beamed at the attention.

"But, this new single, is very heart breaking, and very emotional for her. Every word is true, and every word holds a dear meaning to her. So I decided," Paul smirked mischievously. "I thought I would have her sing it with me."

Dawn accepted the microphone Paul's manager handed her, albeit reluctantly.

"I'm sorry guys," Dawn said quickly, "I might be a Top Coordinator and a song-writer, but I can't sing as well as my husband can, so please don't focus on my voice. Please focus instead on the meaning of these words. They...mean a lot to me."

Dawn sat down at the piano, her girls sitting next to her, with Paul standing.

She started the familiar beginning and vowed not to cry this time she sang it.

 _And all I remember is your back_

Dawn barely remembered anything from that day, but she damn remembered her father's retreating back. Leaving her.

 _Walking towards the airport, leaving us all in your past_  
 _I traveled fifteen hundred miles to see you_  
 _Begged you to want me, but you didn't want to_

Paul joined in, harmonizing.

Her voice was soft and airy, while Paul's was deep and melodious.

 _But piece by piece he collected me  
_ _Up off the ground where you abandoned things, yeah  
_ _Piece by piece he filled the holes  
_ _That you burned in me at six years old  
_ _And you know,_

Her voice took a hoarse quality to it, as if she was about to cry.

 _He never walks away_

She turned to Paul during this holding his solid, strong gaze throughout.

 _He never asks for money,_  
 _He takes care of me_  
 _He loves me_  
 _Piece by piece he restored my faith_  
 _That a man can be kind and a father could... stay_

She giggled a little at that, a little, breathless laugh with a tiny sigh at the end.

 _And all of your words fall flat_  
 _I made something of myself and now you wanna come back_  
 _But your love—it isn't free, it has to be earned_  
 _Back then I didn't have anything you needed so I was worthless_

Dawn stared at the keys as her vision blurred.

 _But piece by piece he collected me_  
 _Up off the ground, where you abandoned things, yeah_  
 _Piece by piece he filled the holes_  
 _That you burned in me at six years old_  
 _And you know,_

Dawn choked on that note as Paul carried on slowly, comfortingly. Dawn stopped singing and just played for Paul.

 _He never walks away_  
 _He never asks for money,_  
 _He takes care of me_  
 _'Cause he loves me_  
 _Piece by piece he restored my faith_

Dawn joined in on the last line, her voice filled with awe and love for her husband.

 _That a man can be kind and a father could stay_

 _Piece by piece_

The pair sang the melody together, full and strong. Though Dawn's voice was croaky and emotional.

 _Piece by piece I fell far from the tree_  
 _I will never leave her like you left me_  
 _And she will never have to wonder her worth_  
 _Because unlike you I'm going to put her first_  
 _And you know,_

Dawn turned to the cameras she knew and looked into them, staring her father down with teary eyes.

 _ **He'll** never walk away,_  
 _ **He'll** never break her heart_  
 _ **He'll** take care of things,_  
 _ **He'll** love her_

Dawn continued the piano part but stopped singing.

"Father, Paul isn't you. He'll love my baby girls, and he'll never leave them. He's the best father I can ask for Spence and Emm. To all the fathers out there, your children should be the center of your world. Take a good look at yourself. How do you treat your kids? If it's not right, then change it. Domestic abuse is wrong. Alcoholism is wrong. Drugs are wrong. Love your children, because a father should be the person to show the kid how to love, and how to express it. Thank you." Dawn wiped a tear on her shoulder before finishing the song up.

Paul let her take the last part.

 _And piece by piece he'll restore my faith_  
 _That a man can be kind and a father should be..._

Dawn hesitated, and gave a tearful, wane smile to Paul before she finished to stanza.

 _Great._

 _Piece by piece_

 _Piece by piece_

 _Piece byyy piece_

The crowd was absolutely silent for a millisecond. But then the entire room was filled with whoops and cheers. Applause ran throughout the room, and Paul wrapped Dawn's tiny body in his own, hugging her and whispering into her ear as she cried.

Dawn sniffled as she held the microphone up one more time. "Thank you. And to all of the kids out there...who live in similar situations...you are loved. And you are stronger than your fathers. Don't let what they did, tie you down. Go for your dream. Do what you want to. Alright?"

She shot a tired grimace towards Paul and motioned towards the side lines. "Now can we go?"

Paul nodded and scooped up his wife before running off the stage, their children trotting after them. The crowd got even louder at the obvious display of affection that Paul usually didn't grant his fans.

The duo smiled at each other before sharing a kiss in the darkness of the backstage.

"Everything's going to be okay now," Paul mumbled against her lips.

Dawn smiled widely. "I know."

* * *

 **AN: I hope you guys liked that. :) Please review! Pretty please?**

 **-Ange**


End file.
